Post by spaceflower on Nov 30, 2015 23:15:31 GMT
Is it not a common idea, that people are more violent nowadays? That things were more peaceful before, especially in the country?
But after researching my family history, I got the feeling that it is quite the contrary.
Reading the church books (19th century) I found that a relative was "on Turku castle". What was he doing so far away from home? Ah, he was in prison. I found out that he had been sentenced to 12 years "tukthus" (from German Zuchthaus), house of correction, for manslaughter. My ancestor was 37 years old, had been married for 17 years and had 7 surviving children. The only reason for this crime I can fathom is vodka. Finland, Sweden and Russia all belonged to the vodka belt.
More reading of church books. Two other relatives, two brothers of 24 and 19 years, were beaten to death on the same winter night. A, what a tragedy I thought (grief almost 150 years too late). But then I read more. Seems the brothers were leaders of a gang who had been fighting with other gangs. Young men used to drink and then go looking for a fight with other young men from other villages. Like hooligans. This time they went to a wedding party at 8 pm. They were "floor standers", i.e. not invited to the wedding. But floor standers could get into the house, see the bride and get vodka. But there were no seats for them, therefore the word floor standers. But these floor standers were not welcome. They tried to force themselves inte the house by breaking the window panes with firewood. There was a big fight and the brothers got their skulls smashed with firewoods.
The injured and soon dead brothers were transported to their homes. No hospitals in the country, and this was on an island in the archipelago. When the sheriff ("länsman") came, nobody had seen anything. "No, I was inside the house" "No, it was too dark, I did not see who did what". Sounds like hillbillies or "white trash".
One trial and one man was sentencened to 9 years. Another trial later. By then one of the floor standers had thrown a stone in the head of a farmer so that he died. This man, Erik, was now in custody, so the sheriff could more easily persuade him to testify. With Erik's testimony the other killer was also sentenced. Erik got his sentence later. During the time Erik was in prison, his own father was killed by a knife from a drunken farmer.
Btw, the killers of the brothers were all related, the killers were second cousins with the victims and with each other. Erik was a relative too. Seems like everybody was related to each other. But they all lived on an island with no bridge. (One of the killers married the same year he was released. Later he and his family emigrated to USA. Guess the immigration authorities did not check that thouroghly then.)
I don't think my relatives were especially violent. They were not professional criminals. They were hardworking (and hard drinking) fishermen, farmers and coastal pilots. They were used to take care of themselves, to be independant and self-sufficient. But the ostrobothnians were often fighing, and not only by fists but by knives and axes. People were more violent in old times (and they were even worse in the 17th century).
I've read that young men are less violent nowadays b/c instead of going out and getting into trouble, they stay at home and play computer games. So violence by ordinary people has decreased. Violence by professional criminals and terrorists is another matter.
So do you agree or disagree with my conclusions?
But after researching my family history, I got the feeling that it is quite the contrary.
Reading the church books (19th century) I found that a relative was "on Turku castle". What was he doing so far away from home? Ah, he was in prison. I found out that he had been sentenced to 12 years "tukthus" (from German Zuchthaus), house of correction, for manslaughter. My ancestor was 37 years old, had been married for 17 years and had 7 surviving children. The only reason for this crime I can fathom is vodka. Finland, Sweden and Russia all belonged to the vodka belt.
More reading of church books. Two other relatives, two brothers of 24 and 19 years, were beaten to death on the same winter night. A, what a tragedy I thought (grief almost 150 years too late). But then I read more. Seems the brothers were leaders of a gang who had been fighting with other gangs. Young men used to drink and then go looking for a fight with other young men from other villages. Like hooligans. This time they went to a wedding party at 8 pm. They were "floor standers", i.e. not invited to the wedding. But floor standers could get into the house, see the bride and get vodka. But there were no seats for them, therefore the word floor standers. But these floor standers were not welcome. They tried to force themselves inte the house by breaking the window panes with firewood. There was a big fight and the brothers got their skulls smashed with firewoods.
The injured and soon dead brothers were transported to their homes. No hospitals in the country, and this was on an island in the archipelago. When the sheriff ("länsman") came, nobody had seen anything. "No, I was inside the house" "No, it was too dark, I did not see who did what". Sounds like hillbillies or "white trash".
One trial and one man was sentencened to 9 years. Another trial later. By then one of the floor standers had thrown a stone in the head of a farmer so that he died. This man, Erik, was now in custody, so the sheriff could more easily persuade him to testify. With Erik's testimony the other killer was also sentenced. Erik got his sentence later. During the time Erik was in prison, his own father was killed by a knife from a drunken farmer.
Btw, the killers of the brothers were all related, the killers were second cousins with the victims and with each other. Erik was a relative too. Seems like everybody was related to each other. But they all lived on an island with no bridge. (One of the killers married the same year he was released. Later he and his family emigrated to USA. Guess the immigration authorities did not check that thouroghly then.)
I don't think my relatives were especially violent. They were not professional criminals. They were hardworking (and hard drinking) fishermen, farmers and coastal pilots. They were used to take care of themselves, to be independant and self-sufficient. But the ostrobothnians were often fighing, and not only by fists but by knives and axes. People were more violent in old times (and they were even worse in the 17th century).
I've read that young men are less violent nowadays b/c instead of going out and getting into trouble, they stay at home and play computer games. So violence by ordinary people has decreased. Violence by professional criminals and terrorists is another matter.
So do you agree or disagree with my conclusions?